Container closure construction



April 25, 1939'. c DRAPER 2,156,237

CONTAINER CLOSURE CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 76. /0 l x L 20 014mg T024252 H6. 5K Q I7 Q V flrroeMe-s."

Patented Apr. 25, 1939 2,156,231

UNITED STATES PATENT oFncE CONTAINER CLOSURE CONSTRUCTION Charles T. Draper, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to The Draper Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 27, 1937, Serial No. 181,875

6 Claims. (01. 220-39) The invention relates to bung opening conhowever, sacrificing complete container drainstruction for metallic containers, barrels, drums, age, a liquid-tight construction, or adaptability vessels, packages, and the like, utilized for shipfor the reception of tamper sealing means. I ping, storing and/or dispensing fluid, liquid, or A further object of the present invention is to semi-solid materials; and relates more particuprovide a container bung opening construction 5 larly to a simplified threaded bung opening conto which a threaded closure plug of any one of a struction to which a threaded member may be variety of forms may be readily secured with the readily connected, use of only one gasket, and without utilizing any Metallic containers are extensively used for separate, specially cast, forged or machined transporting, storing and dispensing various threaded bung ring or the like. 10

kinds of lubricating oils, and such containers are Threaded bung openings for such containers usually provided with means, for preventing unfrequently range from inch to 2 inches in detectable tampering with the closure structure. diameter, and are provided withfrom 3 to 6 Moreover, it is desirable that the bung opening threads. These threads are usually formed as and closure structure be such that complete or standard pipe threads, because the bung open- 15 substantially complete drainage of the container ings must be adapted for the reception of standmay be efiected through the bung opening. ard pipe threaded fittings. Such threads de- Accordingly, metallic containers heretofore pending upon the size of the opening range from have been provided almost universally with cast, 14 to 11 threads per inch. Moreover, metallic forged, or specially pressed bung rings or bush containers, to which the present invention per- 20 ings having internal threads; the bung rings betains, are frequently made from sheet, strip or ing secured in a liquid-tight manner by seaming, plate metal of from 24 to as heavy as 12 gauge welding or the like, to the container wall; the material. bung rings or plugs threaded thereinto provid- Containers have in the past been provided with 25 ing for the securement of the means for preventbung openings formed by drawing a neck in a 25 ing undetectable access to the container; and the metal wall thereof, and by then threading the bung rings being arranged to project wholly outneck. Such constructions, however, have re wardly of the container wall in case complete quired very thick metal in the wall in which the container drainage is desired. bung opening was formed; and have required the In many cases special types of closure plugs threads to be cut therein. 30 are required for use with particular bung rings Sheet metal cans or canisters, such as small and tamper sealing means; and two or more paint and varnish cans, kerosene lamp reservoirs, gaskets are frequently required or used, interor small hand oil cans have been made of very posed between the container wall, bung ring, thin sheet metal such as tin plate or the like plug, and tamper seal, in order to assure a liquidwith a short, small central or concentric neck 35 tight 010S111edrawn in the top wall thereof. These necks have The manufacture of such bung r n s, he been formed by a rolling operation with rounded, threading of the same, the Securing 0f the bung corrugated-like threads having a pitch of 4 to 6 rings to the container wall, the manufacture of threads per inch Such rounded threads the sPecial closure plugs' Hi manufacture and similar to the threads on glass bottlesor fruit 40 secuflilg of the tamper Sealmg means,and the jars, and do not have the accuracy, pitch or 5232i? g zgi i fi ii figgg i zigsg 3; V-sides which characterize standard pipe threads. such parts or operations greatly increases the x zgz gii z ig g igigg 2 5 33 2 1 5 cost of manufacturing metallic containers. In De g ik be th fact, the cumulative expense of most or all of metal CQDtamer and 1 cause ey W1 not receive a standard pipe threaded fitting.

the enumerated parts or operations forms a relatively large portion of the total cost of man- For more than slxty years durmg whlch I have ufacturing a sheet metal container provided with experience in the art of making Sheet metal the same. containers of all sorts, sizes, kinds and shapes, 50

It is therefore aprimary object of the present I v eve e an integral neck in a Sheet invention to appreciably reduce the cost of manmetal container provided with standard pipe ufacturing metallic containers by greatly reducthreads in which the threads had not been ing the prior disproportionate cost of providing formed by cutting; and I have likewise never the bung opening and appurtenance; without, seen an integral threaded neck eccentrically lo- 55 cated in a container wall in which said threads had not been formed by cutting.

Moreover, until the present invention, there has not to my knowledge, been available any machinery or method for forming'threads in an integral eccentrically located neck in a container wall without cutting; or any machinery or method for forming standard pipe threads in an integral neck formed in a container wall without cutting.

Accordingly, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a sheet metal container wall with an integral bung opening neck having standard pipe threads formed therein without cutting the threads.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wall of a sheet metal container with an eccentrically located integral bung opening neck having threads formed therein without cutting the threads.

Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet metal container made of from 24 to 12 gauge rolled steel, with a inch to 2 inch threaded bung opening, having from 3 to 6 standard pipe threads with a pitch of 14 to 11 threads per inch formed in the neck without cutting the threads.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a wall of a sheet metal container with an integral bung opening neck having V-sided threads formed therein without cutting the threads.

Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet metal container with an integral bung opening neck having V-sided internal threads with relatively sharp or pointed valleys and rounded crests formed therein without cutting the threads.

Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wall of a sheet metal container with an integral threaded bung opening neck located a less distance from a chime of the container than the diameter of the opening, without cutting the threads. I

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a wall of a metal container with an integral bung opening neck having threaded inner and outer contours, the thickness of the metal in the thread apices being greater than the thickness of the metal in the neck perpendicular to the thread sides.

Likewise; it is an object of the present invention to provide a container with an integral bung opening neck, the metal in the neck being swaged and deformed to thicken the same at different regions, to provide standard V-sided pipe threads therein.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sheet metal container wall with an outwardly projecting integral bung opening neck terminating in an outturned flange and having an inner and outer standard pipe thread formation in the neck between the wall and flange.

Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet metal container with an integral flanged bung opening neck having standard pipe threads formed therein the threads.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a sheet metal container with an integral reinforced bung opening neck having standard without cutting pipe threads formed therein without cutting the threads.

Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wall of a sheet metal contion to provide a sheet metal container with an integral bung opening neck terminating in an outturned flange having threads formed therein so shaped and constructed as to lend a slight axial resilience to the'neck to provide a nut lock action to a flanged threaded closure plug screwed into the neck and seated on the neck flange.

Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet metal container wall with an outwardly projecting integral bung opening neck terminating in a flange and having threads formed in the neck between the wall and flange without cutting the threads.

Also itis an object of the present invention to provide a sheet metal container wall with an outwardly projecting integral bung opening neck terminating in a flange and having threads formed in the neck between the wall and flange without cutting the threads, the threads being disposed from the neck oppositely from direction in which the flange extends, that is, inward in the case of an outturned flange, or outward in the case of an inturned flange.

Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container bung opening construction having characteristics described in one or more of the preceding objects and which is adapted to receive any one of a number of difierent types of closure plugs provided with standard pipe threads.

Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container bung opening construction having the characteristics defined in one or more of the above objects, to which a tamperproof seal may be readily applied.

And finally, it is an object. of the present invention to provide a container bung opening and closure construction, which accomplishes the aforesaid desiderata, which greatly simplifies present day bung opening constructions, and which provides a more eificient and inexpensive bung opening and closure.

These and other objects may be obtained by the elements, parts, combinations and constructions constituting the present invention, preferred embodiments of which are shown in the accompanying drawings and are hereinafter claimed and described in detail, which may be stated in general terms as including in metallic container construction, a wall provided with an integral tubular neck forming a bung opening for the container projecting or extending preferably outwardly of the container from the wall, the neck preferably but not necessarily terminating in an outturned annular flange or lip, the neck between the wall and flange being deformed andswaged to provide a standard V-sided pipe thread formation therein, an externally threaded member in threaded connection with the threaded neckto form a closure therefor, a single gasing the outer end of the threaded member and secured to the neck flange.

Several embodiments of the present improvements are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, parts being broken away and in section, illustrating a sheet metal container to which the improvements of the present invention are applied;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the top head or wall of the container shown in Fig. 1 after two of the improved bung openings have been formed therein, but before the same has been blanked out, drawn or seamed'to the container;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, of the side wall of the container of Fig. 1, with two improved bung openings formed therein, before the wall has been formed to cylindrical shape;

Fig. 4 is a plan view with parts broken away, showing the improved container bung opening construction;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5- 5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view showing the rolled, swaged or deformed V-thread formation of the integral bung opening connection illustrated in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a view similar .to Fig. 5. showing a modified form of construction without a reinforcing collar;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing another modified form of construction;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing a different type of closure plug screwed into the integral threaded bung opening neck; and Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a still further modification.

Similar numerals refer to similar par s throughout the various figures in the drawings.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a sheet metal container is indicated generally at In and is provided with an improved bung opening at four different places, generally indicated by the numerals II, Ha, IIb and I2. The bung openings II, II a and Ilb are shown as being bungopenings formed with standard 2 inch pipe threads, while the bung opening 12 is a bung opening formed with standard inch pipe threads. Ordinarily only two bung openings are provided in a. container, either both in the head. or one in the head and one in the side, at one of the locations ind cated in Fig. 1. However, if desired, an number of bung openings can be provided in the con tainer, asshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

In Fig. 2, the integral threaded bung opening necks II and I2 are first formed in the sheet of metal I3 from which the head I3a is to be subsequently blanked; but the head I3a may be blanked and drawn first and the improved bung openings later formed therein if desired. The presentinvention, however, makes possible the provision of a bung opening in a container wall closer to a container chime than the i meter of the opening,as shown in Fig. 1; a d if the bung openings are so located, they are formed in the wall before the wall is blanked or drawn, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 illustrates bung openings Ila and Ill) formed in the blank I4 before the blank [4 is given a, cylindrical shape to form the side wall or shell I 4a of the container Ill.

' Referring more particularly to Figs. 4, 5 and 6,

the improved bung opening II is shown therein on larger scales than in Figs. 1 and 2. The container head or top wall I3a may be formed from 24 to 12 gauge rolled sheet or strip steel,and the integral threaded tubular neck I5 projects outwardly of the container and terminates prefer ably in an outturned annular flange or lip I6 to form a. bung opening for the container. The outturned flange I6 is formed from the, parent metal I3a from which the flange is integrally drawn;- and the threads of the integral neck I5 have a special shape, all of which characterize the present invention.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 6, the threaded neck I5 isprovided with standard pipe threads; and the bung opening II being a 2 inch threaded opening, the pitch of the threads is 11 threads per inch. If the bung opening were a inch threaded opening, as indicated at I2 in Fig. 1, there would by 14 threads per inch. From 3 to 6 threads may be formed in the integral threaded neck I5, five complete threads being indicated in Fig. 6. The internal thread formation in the neck I5 is such that the threads I5a have V-sides I5b, rounded crests I50, and relatively sharp or pointed valleys I5d.

Similarly, the outer thread formation is such that the threads have rounded crests I50. V-sides I5?) and relatively sharp valleys I5d; and, as more clearly shown in Fig. 6, both the internal and external thread valleys i5d are void.

Moreover, the parent metal in the neck I5 is deformed and swaged to provide the threads I5a. This deformed or swaged throughout the zone where the internal and external threaded surfaces are presented, without any cutting or shearing, thread formation is indicated by the thicker metal when measured radially between an outer valley 15d and an inner crest I50, as shown at H, which is thicker than the metal when measured perpendicularly between inner and outer V-sides I5b. as shown at I8.

Again referring to Fig. 6, the threads I5a project or are disposed inwardly of the neck indicated at I5; and it is obvious from an inspection of Fig. 5, that standard pipe threads, such as shown therein, could not be provided in metal of the gauge shown at I3a by cutting threads in the usual manner of tapping.

Obviously, if it is desired that the flange i6 be inturned, rather than outturned as shown, the threads a would be disposed outwardly of the neck; and in case the flange I6 is not used, there is a threaded formation available on the inner and outer peripheries of the neck, either-of which may be sized to a desired s andard formation.

As shown in the drawings, the internal thread crests, ridges or apices I50 are opposite-the external thread valleys Mid, and the external thread crests, ridges or apices I5c are opposite the internal thread valleys I5d, so that the internal and external threads are complementary.

Likewise, in Fig. 6, the internal threads I5a are standard pipe threads. and these threads are disposed or displaced inward of the parent neck metal which is in the tubular locus of the remaining unthreaded part of the neck. Thus, the

@- aisaesr each inclined at an angle of thirty degrees (30) from a plane normal to the axisof the thread, as

the metal resulting from the swaged formation of 1 the same. This feature distinguishes these threads from the rounded or corrugated-like formation of round threads previously known in the art having a pitch of only from 4 to 6 threads per inch, which will not receive a standard pipe threaded closure plug or coupling.

The integral threaded necks l5, may be provided almost any place in the wall of a sheet metal container formed from rolled steel by first drawing a neck at the desired location in a sheet metal blank and by then forming the internal and external threads in the neck by a swaging operation between roller diesjn apparatus shown in my copending patent application, Serial No. 181,874, filed of even dateherewith, matured in Patent No. 2,145,587, dated January 31, 1939.

The swaging pressure to which the neck metal is subjected in forming the threads between the roller dies, deforms or swages the metal of the threaded part of the neck wall throughout its entire thickness into a zig-zag thread-like shape or formation; and the swaging pressure deforms the metal to form the thread apices lc'so that the internal and external thread apices may be said to be cpmpressed thread apices as distinguished from the stretched thinned thread .apices of threads formed by bending or distorting metal under tension by a stretching operation.

Thus, the present invention provides an integral neck forming a bung opening in a thin sheet metal wall having standard pipe threads formed therein without cutting and also provides for the location. of an integral threaded neck eccentrically in a thin sheet metal blank.

Referring to Fig. 5, when the improved bung opening is closed by a closure plug 2%, a liquid tight sealing gasket 2i is preferably interposed between the lower side of the plug flange and the upper side of the neck flange l6. Theneck may be reinforced by an annular ring 22 telescoped around the neck and clamped to the wall l3a by the flange it when the flange it is formed. -This reinforcing ring 22 forms an abutment between the flange it and wall 63a so as to prevent the thin metal neck from being damaged, under severe usage.

If desired, a tamper-proof sealing cap 23 may be placed over the plug 2d and have its downwardly extending rim 2 5 turned inward at 25 by a suitable tool to engage under the neck flange 86 for sealing the closure against unauthorized opening.

The same threaded neck is shown in Fig. 7

as is shown in Fig. 5, excepting that the reinforcing ring has been omitted, since insome cases it is"unnecessa'ry to provide the same. .Otherwise, the construction of Fig. 7 is identical with plug 20a and cap 23a is used.

Referring to Fig. 9, another standard form of closure plug is shown at 20b utilizing a special liquid sealing gasket Zia, which seats within the.

upper neck opening against the top of the neck threads. Otherwise; the construction is the same in Fig. 995 that shown in Fig. 5, excepting for the modified form of flange lta, reinforcing ring 32a and tamper sealing cap indicated at 2%.

- Fig. 10 shows a construction similar to Fig. 5, excepting for the modified form of reinforcing collar 22b and sealing cap 230.

Accordingly, the present improvements appreciably reduces the cost of providing bung openings for metallic containers and therefore appreciably reduces the cost of such metallic containers by the provision of an integral threaded bung opening neck into which a closure plug having standard pipe threads may be screwed and the opening sealed in liquid tight manner with the use of only one'sealing gasket. Moreover, the integral threaded neck, in being provided with standard pipe threads without cutting, permits the use of any one of a variety of types of standard closure plugs and permits the integral neck to be formed from thin metal of the gauge ordinarily used in making metallic containers such as oil drums and the like.

And finally, the integral threaded neck, in being provided with an integral flange, not only provides metal integral with the container wall for the seating of the liquid receiving gasket, but also provides means for clamping 'areinforcing collar if necessary, and provides means for the attachment of a tamper sealing cap if desired.

Moreover, the integral threaded bung opening neck in projecting outwardly of the container wall enables complete container drainage to be obtained and the threads in being deformed and 'swaged to thicken the metal at places, provides a slight axial resilience to the threads, which may give a slight nut lock action to closure plugs threaded therein.

Having now described the features of the invention, the construction and use of preferred forms of the same, and the advantages and results obtained by the improved construction; the new and useful parts, elements, combinations, constructions and devices, their reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A-sheet metal wall provided with an integral tubular neck, complementary internal and external V-sided threads in the neck one of which is a standard pipe thread, the metal of the threaded part of the neck wall being internally,

, which is a standard pipe thread, the metal of the threaded part of the neck wall being internally, externally and throughout its entire thickness roller swaged into zig-zag thread-like formations with compressed internal and external threadapices, and the threads being displaced from the tubular locus of the unthreaded part of the neck toward the standard threaded side thereof and ina direction opposite to that in which the flange extends.

3. In metallic container construction, a 24 to 12 gauge sheet metal wall provided with an integral tubular neck forming a bung opening, cbmplementary internal and external V-sided threads in the neck one of which is a from inch to 2 inch standard pipe thread, there being from 3 to 6 threads having a pitch of from 14 to 11 threads per inch, the metal of the threaded part of the neck wall being internally, externally and throughout its entire thickness roller swaged into zig-zag thread-like formations with compressed internal and external thread apices, and the threads being displaced from the tubular locus of the unthreaded part of the neck toward the standard threaded side thereof.

4. In metallic container construction, a sheet metal wall provided with an integral tubular neck, complementary internal and external V- sided threads in the neck one of which is a standard pipe thread, said threads having void valleys, the metal of the threaded part of "the neck wall being internally, externally and throughout its entire thickness roller swaged into zig-zag thread-like formations with compressed, internal and external thread apices, and the threads being displaced from the tubular locus of the unthreaded part of the neck toward the standard threaded side thereof.

5. In metallic container construction, a sheet metal. wall provided with an integral tubular neck located eccentrically of the wall, complementary internal and external V-sided threads in the neck one of which is a. standard pipe thread, the metal of the threaded part of the neck wall being internally, externally and throughout its entire thickness roller swaged into zig-zag thread-like formations with compressed internal and external thread apices, and the threads being displaced from the tubular locus of the unthreaded part of the neck toward the standard threaded side thereof.

6. A sheet metal wall provided with an integral tubular neck, complementary internal and external V-sided threads in the neckhaving rounded apices and relatively sharp vaIleys, the metal of the threaded part of the neck" wall being internally, externally and throughout its entire thickness roller swaged into zig-zag thread-like formations with compressed internal and external thread apices, one side wall of each internal thread being in common a side wall of an external thread, and the radial thickness of the metal in the thread apices being greater than the thickness of the metal in the common side walls.

a CHARLES '1'. DRAPER. 

